Page 14 of August

He chortled. “Do I look like someone who can’t take care of himself?”

She shrunk down an inch. “That’s not what I mean.”

“’Cause I remember saving Rami’s ass a couple times—and yours, actually, when one of Fernando’s men would’ve put a bullet in your head.” Fernando was the cartel leader who’d been after Gigi’s sister, and Rami had killed him. August spread his arms wide. “Still here and they’re dead.”

“Joe could protect himself, too. Whoever they hired—”

“Will be dead when I see him again.”

“Sherry’s dead,” she volleyed back.

He heaved a sigh. “You’re not leaving on your own.” He caught her arm and pulled her close to his chest.

She stiffened for a minute then relaxed in his embrace. “I won’t send you into witness protection if that’s not what you want. But know this—they’re going to come for us and we’ll have to fight. People are going to die. It sucks. I’ll do everything in my power to protect you and the ones you love, though.”

A tremor shook her shoulders.

His chest ached. “Do you trust me?”

Gigi tipped back her head to meet his eyes. Her smooth skin was tanned, making the yellow striations in her irises pop against the hazel hues. She lifted her chin as if she had something to prove—and hell, she did. Because if she tried to run off again, they were going to have a problem.

“Yes,” she said firmly. The corners of her lips trembled then stilled. They’d been close for only a couple of weeks, but he knew that when Gigi tried to hide her emotions, she did a piss-poor job of it.

He leaned back, catching her chin and holding her in place for a beat. “Then I need to be able to trust you, too. No leaving. No running. If you’ve got a problem with me, tell me. Or hit me. Whatever. Just don’t run from me.” His words came out with the force of a tornado. “Okay?” he pressed.

“’Kay.”

“Promise?”

She nodded. “I promise.”

“Good.” He lowered his arms and reached for her hand. “Next time you go to cut someone”—he jerked her hand toward his throat—“here. Not the midsection.”

“Well, I got the assassin in the stomach. That kinda worked.”

“Not really, considering he came after you.”

She grimaced, and her nose wrinkled. His insides fizzled. Christ, she was too adorable.

“You did good,” he said reassuringly. “Just would have been better to have him die right away.”

She blew a breath through tight lips. “I wasn’t necessarily thinking about the most efficient way to kill someone. I just wanted to escape.” She smiled mischievously. “It’s a good thing I went for your midsection though, otherwise I could’ve accidentally taken you out.”

He chuckled and laced his fingers with hers. “If someone can take me out that easily, I’m in trouble.” He nodded toward the hotel. “Let’s go get our stuff. We should keep moving and grab our food to go.”

“Okay.”

With her little hand folded in his, the tension in his shoulders eased, but only a fraction. It’d never crossed his mind that Gigi might try to make it on her own. He’d been playing things cool, keeping her at arm’s length, and maybe that was the problem.

He couldn’t be too cold or distant. Not when his actions might push her away.

Things just got a helluva lot more complicated.

***

Polishing off her burger, Gigi crumpled up the wrapper and tossed it in the paper bag at her feet. “Oh my god that was good. So glad I didn’t run off.”

Her attempt at humor was lost on August. He slid a glare her way from the driver’s seat.

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